The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-08-25

requirements of chapter XIII s. L.
Special tax for school purposes can be
transferred. Very respectfully,
o. H. CooPER,
Superintendent Public Instruction.
Third-Regarding the age of pupils for
the public schools:
AUSTIN, Texas, August %, 1887.
Mr.. -: Replying to your favor of
August 10, permit me to say that any per-
son over and under 16 years of age is
entitled to the benefit of the public school
fund. The young married lady may at
tend the public school in her district free
of charge. Very respectfully,
o. H COOPER,
Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The governor pardoned negro, Antho.
ny Thomps on, of Milan county, yester
day,who was sentenced to four years service
in the penitentiary for forgery and pass
ing forged instrument, two cases of two
years each. The facts are these: His en-
ployer owed the negro for work done, and,
in his absence, the negro wrote an order
for pair of shoes and signed his en-
ployer's name, and afterwards told what
he had done to his employer. After serv
ing two years, the governor COMMITTED
the sentence.
The state capitol board and the state
penitentiary board had joint meeting
yesterday and were in session for several
hours at the Office OF the secretary of
these boards, on Capitol Hill.s There were
present on the part of the capitol board,
his excellency, Gov. L. S. Ross, Com y
troller Mccall, Treasurer Lubbock and
Attorney General Hogg. Land Commits
sioner Hall was absent, being gone from
the city on official business. Messrs. Tips,
Dibrell and Grow represented the peni-
Tertiary board. There were also present
Capitol Commissioners Lee and Nc
Laurin, Gen. r. l.. Walker, superintend-
emit of construction; Secretary Dickinson,
and Mr.. Gus Wllke, sub contractor new
state capitol
1t seems that the penitentiary authori-
ties have had contract with Mr.. Wilke to
furnish him all the cast iron forming
a part of the exterior Of the dome
of the new capitol, and it was
all to have been furnished by
the first of this last July. But it has been
ascertained that it would be impossible to
furnish the greater portion of 1t Within
the next sixteen months, which would be
several months after Mr.. Wilke had Ga
pected to complete the entire building,
dome included.
The following communication from Mr..
Wilke to the capitol commissioners, which
was before the board yesterday, explains
the matters that were discussed and acted
upon:
Gentlemen-I desire to call your atten-
ton to the following facts in regard to
the cast iron work for the dome, which,
under contract have with the state peni-
Tertiary authorities, is being made at the
Rusk penitentiary.
The time for furnishing all this cast iron
work, under that contract, has passed for
several weeks, and having learned that they
could not furnish this work tor many
months after the time when l will have
completed the rest of the building,
have made proposition to them thai il
the capitol building authorities will sub
stitute galvanized iron for that portion
of the cast iron work of the exterior OF
the dome that stands at the top of the
capitals Of the large colonnade columns
and continues up to where the galvanized
iron required by the present specltica
tions begins, and which constitutes the
shell work of that portion OF
) the dome around the brick work, and
also the colonnade cornices and ceilings
| would relieve them of their obligation
> 10 furnish that amount of the cast iron
work under their contract, making due
; allowance to them for said deduction
and they can finish the balance called fol
by their optract in time.
l would respectfully suggest tina
, galvanized iron be substituted
. for the cast iron of thai
portion of the dome hereinbefore men
: toned, for the following reasons:
= 1t would reduce the weight on each o
q the twenty piers and bracket construction
! of the dome about nine tons each, making
Q a total of $50 tons, and as our bracke
d construction has been figured very closely
s having only reasonable factor of safety
@ and as all the cast iron work now beinI
made for the dome at the Rusk peniten
tiary is, as stated by Mr.. Barrett, tn
states expert and manager of the iron in
4 dustries at Rusk, unavoidably running
a more than 80 per cent. heavier than GU
specifications call for, it is absolutel
necessary to reduce the weight on thes
piers, SO that the factor of safety q
> originally figured can be preserved.
" Mr.. Barrett and myself have figure
a this cast iron work and h
!. stated that he considered th
: use of SO much cast iron upon tn
dome as dangerous construction, and hs
:. recommended the use of galvanized iro
+ Instead, giving his reasons therefor as a
expert, in written report of this date.
r The galvanized iron proposed to
used is indestructible, as it does not co
: rode or rust, and by using it an enormor
weight is removed from the dome, and IL
= factor of safety, as originally calculate
n 1 preserved.
This beneficial substitution wi
= result in considerable saving
4 the state, which can be readi
calculated, and whatever the amount ma
?, be 1 will allow to the state in cash.
10 would request your earliest consider
I. ton of this matter, as it is of very gre
importance to me to have it settled
If quickly as possible. Respectfully,
~ Gus WILKE,
IN Sub contractor Texas state house
j. In order that the public may clearly ii
N derstand the action of the board, they W
IN have to peruse the following addition
Of documents, which were also considered:
ie Mr.. r. A. Barrett, the states expert
ID charge of the iron industries at Il
m Rusk penitentiary, submitted IL
To-, following report through